Archery bowstring releases are devices which grasp the string of a bow, hold it for the archer as the archer prepares to launch the arrow, and then release the bowstring when desired by the archer. The archer therefore does not need to use his/her fingers to hold the bowstring, which can be uncomfortable. Additionally, arrow accuracy can be increased when an archer utilizes the more controlled and consistent release provided by a bowstring release. Bowstring releases are provided in a variety of different forms, with perhaps the most common form having a string grip—a device which grasps the bowstring via one or more jaws, hooks, loops, or other structure, and which may release the bowstring when the archer desires—which is worn on the archer's wrist or hand via a mounting band (i.e., a strap, belt, cord, or similar structure) affixed about the wrist or hand. The string grip is situated so that when the band is affixed about the archer's hand or wrist, the archer can actuate the string grip with his/her fingers to release a grasped bowstring when desired. Thus, an archer wears the bowstring release, and after nocking an arrow and placing the bowstring within the string grip, he/she pulls her hand back (thus pulling back the bowstring release and the arrow-carrying bowstring), and then actuates the string grip with his/her fingers to release the bowstring and arrow.
A problem with these and other bowstring releases is that the string grip may be conveniently situated for use when pulling and releasing the bowstring, but otherwise tends to get in the way of the archer's hand. For example, the string grip may project forwardly from the mounting band into the user's palm, or may simply dangle loosely from the mounting band. In either case, the string grip can interfere with the archer's activities, particularly while hunting.
One prior bowstring release developed by others had a string grip connected to a mounting band via a hinged grip mount (i.e., a hinged juncture between the mounting band and the string grip). The string grip freely swung about the mounting band, but also included a block on the mounting band which was made of a flexible elastomeric material such as rubber. A slot was formed in the block, with the slot's width enlarging as the depth of the slot extended into the block. With this arrangement, when an archer did not want the string grip dangling in the way of his/her fingers, he/she could swing it about the mounting band to insert it into the slot. The elastic block would then flex to receive and hold the grip mount. Thus, the archer could swing the string grip about the mounting band to stow the string grip away from his/her hand when desired.
The foregoing arrangement was a beneficial development because it offered a relatively simple, inexpensive, and compact arrangement for securing the string grip in a stowed position out of the archer's reach when the string grip was not in use. However, it suffered from the disadvantage that when the grip mount was not affixed within the block, the string grip could still flop around within the archer's reach. Ideally, the string grip would instead be fixed in a ready-to-shoot position within the reach of the archer's hand when it is not secured in the stowed position. However, the bowstring release could not readily be modified to (for example) add another slotted block for locking the string grip into the ready-to-shoot position, since this arrangement begins to add undesirable bulk (and stiffness) to the mounting band. Additionally, even if another slotted block is added, the string grip and its grip mount can still swing about the mounting band and interfere with the archer's activities when the string grip and grip mount are not fixed within one of the slotted blocks.